Man killed, woman injured in crash while attempting to elude police

A Millsboro man was killed and an Ellendale woman was seriously injured in a single-car crash that occurred while the pair was attempting to flee from police early Sunday.

Scott Goss

A Millsboro man was killed and an Ellendale woman was seriously injured in a single-car crash that occurred while the pair was attempting to flee from police early Sunday.

State police said the crash happened on Del. Route 16, about a half mile west of North Union Church Road, just after midnight.

The driver, 31-year-old Javar M. James, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the passenger, 25-year-old Ellendale resident Shannon M. Emmett, was taken to Milford Memorial Hospital before being transferred to Christiana Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition Sunday, according to state police.

Delaware State Police spokesman Master Cpl. Gary Fournier said the crash occurred while the couple was attempting to flee from a Greenwood police officer.

The officer had attempted to stop a 2002 Pontiac Bonneville on eastbound Route 16 after determining that Emmett, the car’s owner, was wanted for violating her probation.

James, who was driving the car, refused to stop and continued travelling east on Route 16 at a high rate of speed, Fournier said.

The Greenwood police officer eventually discontinued his pursuit of the Pontiac and lost sight of the car due to the wet weather.

James continued speeding east and failed to negotiate a slight curve to the right. The Pontiac exited the north side of the road and slid into a grass field before striking a privately-owned business sign and coming to rest in a 5-foot-deep drainage ditch, Fournier said.

Route 16 was closed for about three hours as the crash scene was cleared.